Tag: John McCain

I’ve always wanted to do this, so here goes. I’m going to keep at it until we have a result or I have to go to bed – whichever comes first. Hit your refresh button for the latest.

5:20 – I’ve had a shower, put on my pajamas, and I’m fixing a gallon of iced tea while watching election coverage on MSNBC. This is better than reality television. Let the games begin!

5:25 – Just wanted to share one of the most compelling and moving political photos that I’ve seen today, which was taken during a campaign event that Barack Obama held yesterday in Charlotte, NC. This was as he shared comments about his grandmother, who had just passed away hours earlier. So sad, but it’s refreshing to see the human side of a candidate every once in a while.

5:30 – Drudge says Obama is winning big; up +15 in Pennsylvania. Let’s hope this is just the beginning of a stellar evening!

5:40 – It gave me a great sense of satisfaction to watch Obama cast his vote early this morning. My coworkers and I gathered around the set to watch as he calmly interacted with his family and then received applause before leaving the polling place. As a Caucasian, it’s hard for me to comprehend what an overwhelming sense of pride he must have felt to be able to cast a presidential vote for a person of color, but I could almost feel it in my bones. I certainly felt a sense of excitement all day that this election will not only change history, but also how the different races in this country interact with one another.

5:45 – Some of Kentucky’s polls closed a few minutes ago and with 1% of the vote in, JM is ahead 68-31%. Ugh. I knew this state would go red, but I hope it turns out a little closer than this.

5:50 – I received a joke text message from someone today that said due to long lines at the polls, Democrats should wait until tomorrow to vote. I replied with “Dems aren’t as gullible as retardicans!” Snicker, snicker.

5:56 – Looks like Elizabeth Dole is going to bite the dust, which means it’s the first time since 1952 that neither a Bush or a Dole is holding elected office. Do you hear that collective “Whew!” reverberating across the country?

6:00 – They just projected KY for McCain and Vermont for Obama.

6:01 – I’m very curious about the results of anti-gay measures like Proposition 8 in California and Amendment 2 in Florida.

6:06 – Still too close to call the race between Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell and Bruce Lunsford. I hope after 24 years, we can get rid of Mitch.

6:12 – Here’s raw video of Black Panthers intimidating voters in Philadephia. Police were soon called to remove them from the entrance of the polling place. Idiots.

8:32 – New Mexico for Obama. He just hit 200 electoral votes. Only 70 to go!

8:45 – According to MSNBC, there is no way for McCain to win at this point. Barack will exceed 270 electoral votes with the remaining blue states alone!

9:02 – I wish they would call Florida already!

9:09 – John Rich is performing at McCain headquarters. LMAO.

9:26 – I’ve gotten so used to being disappointed on election night that I’m a little scared to let myself go and enjoy the moment. The networks still haven’t officially called the election for BO, but you can tell that they know it’s over. They keep showing the growing celebratory crowds in NY and Chicago and talking about the implications of Obama’s win.

9:53 – FNC just called Virginia for Obama, only the second time the state has went blue in 50 years.

10:00 – MSNBC just projected Barack Obama as president of the United States!! We made history, boys and girls! I started this evening with a picture of a tearful BO, so I want to end with one of him smiling. Good night, everybody!!

Accusations have been flying around over the last few weeks about Obama being a socialist. John McCain repeatedly points out that Obama wants to “spread the wealth around” and take from the rich to give to the poor – more hysterics from a party desperate to win against nearly impossible odds. While I find it hard to believe that Barack Obama will be some modern day reincarnation of Robin Hood, I also don’t see why the American public is so repulsed by the very mention of socialism.

Our way of life is virtually teeming with socialistic programs that we all benefit from. Our much-lampooned tax system provides everything from schools for our children to attend to roads for our vehicles to drive on. Our tax dollars feed hungry children and adults, provide incomes for the elderly and handicapped, and health care for the poor and aged.

A closer look at the New Testament reveals a Christ who might well have been labeled a socialist if he were still on earth today. After all, he admonished the rich to sell their belongings and give the money to the poor. He stated that the poor were blessed and would receive the kingdom of God. He advocated forgiving our debtors and giving to beggars. Try to imagine the political fallout if Mr. Obama were running on such a radical platform!

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

– Matthew 25:34-36

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

– Acts 4:32-35

However wrong or right the socialism accusations against Obama may be, at least he seems to care more about the “least of these” than any other politician in recent memory. It’s hard to find any fault in that.

I had lunch with my mother, sister, grandmother, niece, and baby nephew today. It was the first time I had seen my mother or grandmother is over four months, but we all pretended as if nothing had ever happened and had a good time visiting. We were celebrating Grandmama’s 73rd birthday – a month late because she was out of town visiting her sister on the actual anniversary of her birth.

The thing that most impressed me about our conversation today was their lack of interest in John McCain. Neither my mother or sister had ever voted for president before 2004. That was the year my state put a gay marriage ban on the ballot – something that brought conservatives (including Mom and Sis) out in droves – and they pulled the lever for Bush while they were at it.

This time seems alot different. Not only is there no major “moral” issue for them to vote on directly, they think McCain really isn’t worth rooting for. Each candidate’s position on the issues has taken a back seat to immediate problems, like the price of groceries and gasoline.

My sister did inform me that many of her friends hadn’t even intended to vote until Palin joined the ticket, but she still wasn’t buying into the gimmick. She believes McCain is only pretending to be conservative on the issues so he can get elected.

Mom surprised me when she said she would have preferred Hillary Clinton to either of the two choices before us. I agreed completely, but steered the conversation towards Obama. That’s when I heard many of the same worries that I’ve been hearing for months from other locals. That Obama is an undercover Muslim. That he’s lying about being a Christian. That he is working for some terrorist network to take over our country from the inside.

It seems this level of discontent and discomfort with the nominees is leading many of my aquaintances to sit this election out. A coworker who normally votes Democrat doesn’t want McCain to win, but doesn’t feel motivated to vote for Obama. My partner has been expressing the same feelings. Myself, I’m down to the whole “voting for the lesser of two evils” thing. I don’t think Obama or McCain can improve our situation – I’m just counting on Obama not making anything worse.